Not Alone
by prlrocks
Summary: Ben/Juliet; Very AU. A mix of angst, fluff and light smut; Connected to my other Lost fic Anywhere, But Here, but it can be read alone; Ben has a nightmare, but this time, he is not alone. Juliet is right there, by his side.


**Title:** Not Alone  
**Beta:** None, any mistakes are mine  
**Rating: **PG-13 or very light R-ish  
**Summary:**.Very AU. A mix of angst, fluff and light smut; Ben has a nightmare, but this time, he is not alone. Juliet is right there, by his side. Ben/Juliet  
**Disclaimer:** The characters? Not mine.

Ben woke up suddenly, gasping for breath. It had happened again._ Damn nightmares._ Taking a couple deep breaths, he tried to calm his pounding heart. It was only then, he realized that there was a warm hand lying on his shoulder. Glancing over, he saw it was Juliet, trying her best to be an angel of mercy. Ben wished she wouldn't. But there she was, propped up on her side, and looking at him through the gloom. Her lips were pursed in concern.

"Another bad dream?" she whispered, gently stroking his hair back.

"Yes," he admitted, shakily. He sighed with discontent as he realized that he had woken her up again. "I'm sorry."

Rolling over, he stiffly turned his back to her and nestled into his pillow. He was painfully aware that she was still watching him.

"Never mind that. Did you want to talk about it?"

Ben moodily shook his head. Honestly? He just wanted them to both go back to sleep and forget this ever happened. Instead, he settled on letting his turned back send the message for him. _Leave me alone. _

"No?" she said softly, with a hint of disappointment in her voice. "This is three nights in a row. Something's bothering you. Tell me."

Ben reluctantly sat up and gazed down at his lover. Her blue eyes stared back at him expectantly. He had denied telling her about his dreams the past two nights. Could he do it a third? Deliberating, his eyes fluttered shut and he rubbed his sweaty temple._ No._

'It's nothing. It's absurd. I don't know why I keep having it."

Now, she too sat up, and in an assuring gesture, began to rub his back. Her eyes were completely focused on him, as she waited patiently for him to go on.

"I dream… I dream…" He swallowed, scrunched his eyes together, and started again, "I dream that a plane crashes, here on the island. I dream that you and me part. You…" The bitter stab of jealousy suddenly blossomed in his heart. "You go off with another man. You leave me. I dream of a war and… I dream of… Alex. She… dies… and I watch. It's all_ my _fault."

"Oh, Ben," she moaned mournfully. "That will never happen." As he began to turn away again, she grabbed his arm and then forcefully turned his guilty face back towards hers. Ben diverted his eyes. "Look at me Ben," she insisted. "That will never happen. You hear me?" Her eyes pleaded with him to believe her.

Ben trembled, as the remnants of the dream weighted heavily upon his heart. Juliet cupped his face, leaned forward, and gave him a soothing kiss. As she pulled back, he stared intently into her eyes and tried his best to hold back the tears, which were threatening to fall.

"I'm here, Ben, real and completely yours. I'll never leave you." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight. "This…" she shook her head. "This is just pain from your past, coming back to haunt you; your mother; Annie. I know it's hard._ Let_ go."

Ben frowned, doubtful at her words. "Are you certain?"

"Yes-"

"And Alex?"

She gave a small, but affectionate laugh. "Is one room over, trying to get a good nights rest. We'll see her in the morning."

Juliet quirked a slight yet tender smile and Ben couldn't help himself, he offered her a hesitant smile back. With a sigh, he laid back upon his pillows. The memories of his dream still haunted him, but he felt better. Maybe Juliet was right. It didn't take Freud to understand that he suffered from fear of abandonment. Nor was he ignorant of the fact, that past hurts still plagued him. He knew, deep down, that they always would.

As he had pondered these thoughts, Juliet had settled into his chest. She looked gorgeous lying there. The moonlight, streaming in from the window, made her hair glow and her eyes shine brightly. There was a look of amusement and secret knowing to them. It didn't take much for Ben to see what she had in mind. As if proving that thought, her hand began to wander down slowly, as she traced small circles lower and lower upon his abdomen. The gesture was feather light and very teasing… or maybe tempting was the better word. No matter what it was, he _liked_ it.

Reveling in that feeling, Ben wrapped his arm protectively around her and gazed at her adoringly. "I love you," he murmured to her feverishly as he kissed the top of her head.

Juliet rubbed her cheek affectionately against him and kissed his chest in return. "And I love you."

Ben shuddered at the thrill of pleasure that ran through his body. _God,_ he loved those words. They were so common, yet so rarely spoken to him. Rolling her over, he pinned her down into the bed and gave her a deep kiss.

"Do you?" he whispered breathlessly into her ear, once they parted. This was an indulgent game they often played.

In frustration, she threw her head back, baring her throat to him. "How can you doubt it?" she groaned excitedly. Her eyes had a wild crazy look to them, but they were seductive with their lust.

Ben's own eyes darkened at the sight. Needing her, he hungrily took her lips once again. Even if she hadn't told him, he would have known. Her body, that voice, those eyes; they had said it all. She was still here and completely his._ Sure,_ he was going to make her say it _many_ times tonight. He liked it that way, but to be fair, he was equally hers and he always let her know it. He was never going to let that change. Nothing made him happier. Not for the first time, Ben was incredibly thankful he was not alone. He had his love, by his side, to soothe the nightmares away. That would always be enough, but tonight… well, tonight he was going to take so much more. After all, she was _his._


End file.
